Not nearly as many as have left around mistaken conceptions that a private company setting rules about content is censorship or infringement on speech rights. (it's not, especially when you have to agree to the company's terms in order to join the site)

That said, HubPages has procedures to deal with bullying and reporting harassment, but people don't follow them. Too many throw gas on their own fires and keep trying to fan the flames in the forums.

This is true. Hubpages does have rules against such behavior. If a hubber feels bullied by trolls and other malcontents, he/she can report this to the powers that be and the situation will be swiftly and promptly resolved.

PD, hi, I don't really know. I like both of those hubbers. I don't know all the facts, just a few concerning both. I wish people wouldn't take offenses so seriously. The trolls and low lifes who stalk people should be banned permanently from the site IMO. But that's hard to enforce. On the other hand, people need to move on and forget these troublemakers. As long as they are given attention, which they are, they are fed and will continue to stalk and offend people. If they're leaving offensive comments, it's very clear that they can be reported to staff. As long as hubbers keep writing hubs about these trolls and offensive hubbers, they are only magnifying the problem and making their own suffering. Forget the trolls and bullies and write. there are way too many good people here to focus on the trolls.

I have noticed that if you get into the forums or the questions, that's where the bullies are. So I never post a forum or question, it only causes trouble, the Hubs seem to be for the more serious writers, who don't want to argue. If I wanted to debate or insist on having my way and argue religion etc. I would just go to SodaHead, because there it is more alive and active, with groups and friends, the profiles are more attractive and posting pictures and videos with your replies is right there at your finger tips for a comment. But I am not much into it, I find even there, some one is always trying to force another to change....pretty silly and stupid waste of time to do, ya know...

I think keeping replying them politely in a firm manner helps,in my very short life here on hub pages I have faced one such huber,he is fine now,I never neglected him and he is no more a bully for me,nice terms.

Hey PD, hope your well mate. I didn't want to answer your question quite honestly. And who ever said 'if you can't take the heat' go to hell. Maybe you'll find some heat here. We are talking about people's reputations, self esteem, predictions,fears and humiliation

It's no secret that after a year here and doing very well as lyrics in gray, I stupidly acted on emotion, deleted my account and walked. This was weeks in the making. For the very same reason you speak of. This also was my fault. Most of my writing was of personal nature, quite traumatic but i took the risk.

So being called a liar and fake emotionally effected me when this is work not some cozy living community. So when I got back the bashing has tripled, but rather than get into this I didn't want to write this and encourage the hate with anything i say

If it starts i will have this deleted

My only advice is to keep hubpages up to date

We are writers, let's be that

Wordscribe left as she had already written her good bye hub which turned into a nightmare in comments,

The hub therefore unpublished. Good she left one hub to keep account active

other accounts deleted

bullies don't always go away as stated but there are ways to protect yourself

I think this is both reflective of the nature of the Internet and a wider societal characteristic of America itself. Am I right to assume most of us are Americans? We Americans tend to treat the search for truth as a competitive thing.

Its not enough for us to search for the truth, we have to overcome our "opponent," we have to bludgeon him into submission, we have to "win." We need to become better listeners. We need to learn how to approach discourse in a more open spirit, with a willingness to hear our conversation partner and even be changed. We should be grasping for understanding together, not in spite of the other, not before the other, etc.

We're a very talkative society. We don't do very well when it comes to listening. This combative approach to discourse infects everything, politics, it goes without saying, religion, everything. One commentor said give people anonymity of the Internet and they turn into complete jerks.

I'll just close with this. I enjoy HubPages very much and I like the community; work hard on your hubs, you'll attract positive, helpful comments in the main; but if your looking for more, like a discussion of ideas, and heaven help us, even debate; if you, in any way, are looking for constructive, civil discourse about a wide variety of ideas, a "give and take," you best stay out of the forums -- they turn bad and mean very, very quickly, as you know.

I am relatively new here and all the hubbers I have met are friendly and helpful. I have yet to encounter a "bully". I think ignoring them would be my choice of reaction. The saying that "sticks and stones may break my bones but words......" and just go my happy way !

Unfortunately with anything on the internet there will always be and element of trolling, I'm very impressed with the tools that hubpages give to the user in order to fight such people. I think these answer is more with trying to help people dealing with such trolls, rather than actually trying to target these people. Targeting is never 100% accurate.

I would let the trolls' and bullies' comments be published - let everyone see the kinds of comments these unpleasant people make. Their words reveal far more about themselves than the hubber they are making those negative comments about. I'm all for a good debate or argument, but there is a big difference between productive discussion and abuse. There's no excuse for people not being able to see the difference between the two.

Can't really say,but i will not leave because of such reason, how can you be sure that you will not experience the same thing when you go else where. simply ignore them or report them i am sure something will be done

As a fairly new Hubber, I find that many people are extremely helpful. But there are a few (and you know who you are) that leave rude comments as if I am suppose to know everything about HubPages. So I am refraining from asking questions anymore on the forum. I have a few veteran Hubbers that I contact personally and they help.(Thanks again) I find it frustrating that people would "harrass" or "bully" anyone on HubPages. We are all here for basically the same reason and desrve support, respect and appreciation for our efforts.Personally, I like Wordscribe and have read the Hubs written. I am saddened to know she has left as I was looking forward to reading more...I think people need to remember the GOLDEN RULE - treat others as you would like to be treated. If you don't like a comment, refrain from responding with a sarcastic comment. If questions have been asked a million and one times on a forum, don't answer it rudely because you have answered it too many times already.Just skip it and let someone else reply.Hubpages can be overwhelming for newbies and I know that the helpful, patient responses are far more appreciated....

I really have no idea but I wouldn't let them bully or cause me any trouble. I really despise Trolls and I despise people that sign up on these websites trying to make trouble due to their race, religion, natural origin, or sex.

I agree with most of the comments here, Trolls, bully's and cyber-stalkers are everywhere, Hubpages is a great place for people who love to write. These deviants will be always be on the web looking for an audience, We who love to write, need to move on and report them if necessary, but not respond to them. That only provides a platform for them to gain attention. But we can work together to ignore them and hope they will find a trench to fall into with the slime and sludge they try to create. But I will say I had fun writing satirical poems about one. lol...and I never had to say their name. But narcissist believe everything is about them anyway so .... If you know someone that has left hubpages because of these individual's attacks, invite them back and give them support. we cant let the bad eggs ruin the great opportunity we are provided,

I haven't been a member long, and (knock wood) I haven't met any stalker/troll here. On Xomba I picked up one full time troll and a part time nut job. The Full Time Troll has a sense of 'entitlement' so any one picked for comment of the day he is on them like white on rice.

The part time nut job, 'Three Face' as I call her, will post a questional comment to an article, send you a friendly pm and if you dare refer to that pm in a subsequent comment she'll dive on you attacking...(3 faces).

But the Capital of Trolltown is Triond. There is an unmoderated forum and the so called 'writers' (many of whom haven't published anything or anything you could possibly read) will spew filth day in and day out. They attack everyone.

We really didn't end up with a number in answer to the question, did we? I'm curious, that's all. My stance is quite neutral on this. I've had some negative feedback, some remarks that I thought were more than a little uncalled for, but that was mostly in the forums. My hubs seemed to be quite well received.

I sort of ignore the remarks I don't like. They get lost, after a while.

I am a new hubber, and I love the positive feedback that I have received on HubPages, I hope I do not have to deal with trolls or bullying, but if I do, based off of the other comments left here I am confident that I will be able to report the abuse, and not let it interfere with my hubbing. Thanks for all the support and feed back so far.

this place a really a great place and anyone who leaves misses out on a lot......i have strong doubts that there is a person or a group of people that can bully me out....it's just if you like something or somewhere, don't let the negetivity get to you.....because they are everywhere and you just can't keep walking away from them

Bullying online or offline is a serious problem and critical offense in many societies. There is a lack of awareness and attention given to these delicate issues, especially when it involves little children getting bullied. These unseen issues of the hearts often went unnoticed, unaware, unconscious until certain visible symptoms developed in later life stages.

I do not know many hubbers at that time, but I have to say that I have seen some really rude comments on my hubs from some people. The thing is that I simply do not approve their comments and report them, so I am not pretty much worried about those bullies jurking me around. I do not know why they had joined hubpages, but I did this to get exposure and to find more people sharing the same interests like me. I do not know what is the fun of being such a jerk with the others, but I think that the time of those people will pass on and they will have to find another place to be such bullies. My personal advice to all the hubbers, who are here for similar reasons to mine is to stop paying attention to them and simply do what they are doing best - make hubs Regards

This is very interesting, why do I always feel like I am back on a school yard when I hear some one use the term "bully?"There is a sad inference when adults stop taking control of themselves and try to moderate the behaviors of others. You cannot make people hate you anymore than you can make them love you. Now the Trolls issue is a technology issue; we are a digital heart beat online, anything and every where has some ad tatood in the corner, or in this case your comments, feeds and pictures. Again, we have to take what we have created, for what it is. Those with the gold make the rules, when someone with money develops a troll free sight, we shall flock to it as a need created for the wanting. Its just that simple, sorry…

People that bully others over the internet do so because they know that there is very little chance that they will ever have to face their victims in the flesh. They are pathetic cowards with small minds and warped opinions: especially about themselves, with an attitude problem that precludes them from forming close relationships with anyone.

I would advise anyone who feels victimized by such low life individuals to simply ignore them - afterall attention, notoriety and empowerment through fear is what drives them. If nobody takes any notice of them - or their hatred of a world 'that doesn't understand or appreciate them' - they'll eventually evaporate back into the ether like a bad smell.

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